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Central Michigan vegetable regional report – May 11, 2016

Potatoes being planted for the 2016 season. All photos by Fred Springborn, MSU Extension.

Weather

Air temperatures in Entrican, Michigan, ranged from the mid-50s to mid-70s for highs this week. Low temperatures ranged from the mid-30s to low 40s. Soil temperatures remain cool for early to mid-May with minimum temperatures just reaching the 50-degree mark on bare soil. Soil conditions are variable with well-drained soils being worked and poorly drained, heavier soils still remaining too wet for tillage. Rainfall totals were variable with 0.3-0.75 inch received Tuesday May 10, with the higher totals in southern portions of the region.

Crops

Potato planting is well-underway, but progressing at a somewhat slower pace than normal. There are only a few early planted potatoes beginning to emerge.

Sweet corn planting is progressing with several growers on their second planting. No emergence has been observed in the field.

Asparagus harvest has begun with the first picking this week.

Pea planting is ongoing for roadside markets. Early planted peas are emerging.

Early planted peas are emerging.

Cole crops in market gardens are being transplanted as well as onions. Carrots, beets and many other early season crops are also being planted. Early planted red beets are emerging with good stands.

Rye cover crops are growing rapidly many with two nodes showing. Michigan State University Extension suggests that covers be controlled very soon as control will become increasingly difficult.

Winter annual weed growth has also been vigorous this spring with chickweed doing especially well. Chickweed stands should be controlled soon even if planting will not occur for a week or two as they can favor black cutworm egg deposition.

August 16, 2017 | Marissa Schuh | Much of our area received an inch of rain or less in the last month. The dry conditions have hindered disease development, but kept irrigation systems working overtime.

Related Resources

Michigan State University Extension, Mary Hausbeck, Zsofia Szendra, Ben Phillips, and Fred Warner | This annual guide is a summary of currently suggested vegetable varieties, seeding rates, fertilizer rates, weed control, insect control and disease control measures for commercial growers. A version of this publication is available at http://mwveguide.org

Darryl Warncke, Laura Bast, and Don Christenson | This bulletin covers the nature of soil acidity, the need and importance of liming the soil to neutralize acidity, comparisons of various liming materials and their neutralizing values, and guidelines for liming soils for crops grown in Michigan.

M.L. Vitosh, D.D. Warncke, and R.E. Lucas | Plant nutrients in fertilizers are classified as major nutrients and micronutrients. The most important major nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Plants require these nutrients in relatively large amounts.